June 5, 2023
UPDATE
Apple announces the winners of the 2023 Apple Design Awards
At WWDC23, winners are recognized for excellence in innovation, ingenuity and technical achievement in app and game design
Today, Apple proudly revealed the winners of the annual Apple Design Awards, honoring 12 best-in-class apps and games. This year’s winners, spanning development teams around the world, delivered creative and innovative apps based on great design.
Six different categories each recognize one app and game for inclusion, delight and fun, interaction, social impact, visuals and graphics, and innovation. The winners were chosen from 36 finalists, all of whom demonstrated outstanding technical achievements.
“Apps and games are an integral part of how we live, work and play. At Apple, we recognize outstanding developers whose apps reflect incredible creativity and design excellence,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations. “We want to recognize each of this year’s Apple Design Award winners for creating thoughtful app experiences and immersive gameplay that empower and entertain users around the world.”
Inclusivity
Winners in this category provide a great experience for everyone by supporting people of different backgrounds, abilities and languages.
App: Universe — Website Builder
Developer: Universe Exploration Company (United States)
By reducing complexity and removing barriers to entry, Universe makes website building possible for everyone. The app empowers people to create their perfect online storefront, artist page, community group page, or personal web presence, while implementing features like Dynamic Type and VoiceOver to make Universe accessible to as many people as possible.
Game: lurch.
Developer: Lykke Studios (Thailand)
Stitch., a title from Apple Arcade, appeals across generations and brings the soothing, meditative art of embroidery to its users. As the game progresses, the designs increase in difficulty as background music lulls players into a state of serenity. With support for multiple languages and customized accessibility options for people with color blindness, low vision and motion sensitivities, everyone can participate.
Finalists in this category include Passenger Assistance by TRANSREPORT, Anne by Alessandro Di Maio, Ancient Board Game Collection by Klemens Strasser and Finding Hannah by Fein Games GmbH.
Delight and pleasure
Winners in this category provide memorable, engaging and satisfying experiences enhanced by Apple technologies.
App: Duolingo
Developer: Duolingo Inc. (United States)
More than a decade after its launch, Duolingo continues to expand its comprehensive approach to language learning through a redesigned experience and the introduction of new courses for endangered, indigenous, and fictional languages. Users come for the growing catalog of dialogues and stay for the delightful characters and fun gamified experience, including quests, challenges and leaderboards to keep students engaged.
Game: Back yard
Developer: Evan Kice (United States)
A vintage pixel adventure with a contemporary twist, Afterplace is an unforgettable indie role-playing game with a modern edge, balancing nostalgia, dry wit and exploration. Lovingly made for mobile, it’s controlled by swiping and tapping rather than virtual buttons. The game’s clever onboarding ground players in the world and intuitive one-handed control system make it easy and fun to discover Afterplace’s quirky surprises and hidden rewards.
Finalists for this category are Creme from The CREME Group Inc., Chantlings from IORAMA, Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On! by GAME FREAK Inc., and Knotwords by Zach Gage and Jack Schlesinger.
Interaction
Winners in this category deliver intuitive interfaces and effortless controls perfectly tailored to their platform.
App: Volatile
Developer: Flighty LLC (United States)
Flighty provides users with detailed flight maps, airport navigation and delay forecasts – all through a beautifully designed app experience. With important information where it’s needed most, an intuitive interface and comprehensive live maps, Flighty makes navigating travel seamless. The app thoughtfully integrates Apple technology, including Siri Shortcuts, Apple Maps, Live Activities, and more, to keep travelers covered during every leg of the journey.
Game: Railway
Developer: Afterburning (Poland)
Interacting with Railbound delights in its simplicity, including an onboarding experience that noticeably omits words, points, and menu navigation. Undoing and reworking mistakes is a breeze due to the game’s clever designs. With flawless animation and colorful visuals, Railbound is a polished puzzle game that’s easy to pick up and hard to put down.
Finalists for this category are Pinterest Shuffles from Pinterest, Inc.; Tide Guide: Charts and Tables by Condor Digital LLC; Automatoys by Idle Friday LTD; and Kimono Cats from HumaNature Studios Inc.
Social impact
Winners in this category improve lives in meaningful ways and shed light on critical issues.
App: Headroom
Developer: Headspace (United States)
Bringing mindfulness to the masses, Headspace’s thoughtful designs are tangible in its minimalist user interface, charming video content, and signature artwork. Users can choose from a number of different voices to guide them through the app’s extensive catalog of content suitable for a range of needs, from long guided sessions to a short five-minute break. The app’s Apple Watch integration also brings a moment of mindfulness to the wrist at any time.
Game: terminal
Developer: HandyGames (Germany)
In this side-scroller game, Endling casts players as a fox fighting to navigate a land charred by environmental disasters and human influence. Players have the chance to immediately build a sense of empathy and connection with the main character. The game’s simple controls keep the story centered rather than the interactions.
Finalists for this category are Duolingo from Duolingo, Inc.; Sago Mini First Words by Sago Mini; Afterwards by Team Afterwards; and Beecarbonize by Charles Games sro
Visual and graphic
Winners in this category feature stunning visuals, expertly drawn interfaces, and high-quality animations that contribute to a distinctive and cohesive theme.
App: Any distance
Developer: Any Distance Inc. (United States)
Any Distance is a design-forward workout tracker that delivers shareable and dynamic graphics to its users. The app takes full advantage of Live Activities and Apple Watch integrations to collect and present fitness data, including not only traditional workouts such as running and cycling, but also wheelchair exercises, stroller walks and walks, and recumbent rides. Enticing in-app collectible medals and an encouraging social community add to the fun and keep people motivated.
Game: Resident Evil village
Developer: CAPCOM Co.,Ltd. (Japan)
This horror adventure game delivers masterful visual detail powered by Apple silicon, ProMotion, Metal 3, and extended dynamic range. From the creepy castle of Resident Evil Village to the derelict factories, the graphics are some of the most realistic and atmospheric on Mac.
Finalists for this category include Gentler Streak Health Fitness from Gentler Stories LLC; Riveo by Forge and Form GmbH; Diablo Immortal from Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. and NetEase, Inc.; and Endling by HandyGames.
Innovation
Winners in this category deliver a state-of-the-art experience through new uses of Apple technologies that set them apart in their genre.
App: SwingVision: AI Tennis App
Developer: Swing Vision Inc. (United States)
With the combined powers of Artificial Intelligence and Neural Engine, SwingVision serves as a tennis coach that can assist with every aspect of one’s game. SwingVision’s advanced video tracking capabilities help to brilliantly evaluate form, highlight strengths and suggest areas for improvement. Data is not only pulled from the camera, but also through the Apple Watch integration.
Game: MARVEL SNAP
Developer: Second Dinner (China)
MARVEL SNAP features fantastic animations and delightful haptics that perfectly channel the personalities of each multiverse character. This collectible card game redefines the genre through its lively gameplay and innovative “snap” mechanic that instantly doubles the stakes and introduces all-new strategic layers to the game.
Finalists for this category include Camo from Reincubate Ltd.; Rise: Energy and sleep tracker from Rise Science Inc.; Resident Evil Village by CAPCOM Co., Ltd.; and stab. from Lykke Studios.
For more information on the Apple Design Award winners and finalists, visit developer.apple.com/design/awards or the Apple Developer app.
press contact
Apple Media Helpline
media.help@apple.com